When manufacturing component housings, the tolerance and/or dimensions of the various parts of the housing are very important. For example, when manufacturing a housing for an electronic device, the various apertures of the housing may require very specific and detailed tolerances and/or dimensions. These specific tolerances and/or dimensions may be dependent on the functionality and/or the aesthetic appeal of the apertures. The apertures for the housing of the electronic device may require an edge that is substantially smooth (e.g., rounded) or substantially sharp (e.g., abrupt transition between surfaces). When it is desired that the edge of the apertures in the housing be smooth or rounded, the apertures and/or the edge may not require additional care or protection when processing the housing. That is, the edge of the apertures may be substantially exposed to surface treatment processes (e.g., grinding, polishing, buffing) performed on the housing and the surface including the apertures. As a result, in addition to performing surface treatment processes on the cosmetic surface of the housing and/or removing burs formed during the formation process of the apertures within the housing, the surface treatments processes performed on the housing may also smooth-out or round the edge of the apertures by removing a portion of the material forming the housing.
However, when it is desired that the edge of the apertures in the housing be substantially sharp, the apertures and/or the edge of the apertures may need to be protected when performing surface treatment processes on the housing. Conventional processes for protecting the edge of the apertures include utilizing a mechanical fitting to be positioned within the apertures. More specifically, after the aperture is formed within the housing and the burs formed on the surface around the aperture are removed from the housing, a mechanical fitting is inserted within the aperture to protect the edge of the aperture during subsequent processing of the housing.
Ideally, the fitting may prevent subsequent surface treatment processes (e.g., grinding, polishing, buffing) from removing material of the housing on the edge of the aperture. However, like the apertures of the housing, each mechanical fitting includes a specific tolerance. Where the dimensions for the aperture of the housing and/or the mechanical fitting are not within the desired tolerance, the mechanical fitting may not sufficiently protect the edge of the aperture. For example, where the length or diameter of the mechanical fitting is below the desired tolerance and/or the corresponding feature of the aperture of the housing is above the desired tolerance, the edge of the aperture may not be completely protected by the fitting. As a result, the subsequent surface treatments processes performed on the housing may undesirable remove material from the aperture's edge, which is not completely protected by the mechanical fitting. Conversely, where the mechanical fitting is above the desired tolerance and/or the aperture of the housing is below the desired tolerance, the mechanical fitting may create a shadow defect on the housing during subsequent processing or, may not fit in the aperture at all. A mechanical fitting may be custom made to ensure proper fit and/or edge protection for each housing utilizing a fitting. However, this process may be very time consuming and very expensive, especially when it is desired to produce high volumes of the housing including the aperture.